Harry Potter and the Miko
by bluebells.at.midnight
Summary: Kagome's dead father was a squib, but her English grandfather has discovered her magical powers and brought her to Hogwarts to protect her from Voldemort. most likely HPKAG. HP5th year.
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to my new fic

My notebook and a lake got up close and personal, so my other story is going on a slight hiatus until I remember everything I wrote. So I'm starting this story to combat writers block on the other. It's a Harry Potter/Inuyasha crossover during the Fifth Year . It won't follow the plot of the fifth book AT ALL. The fifth year is just because of ages – they're all 15 or 16.

English (When in Japan)

**Japanese (When in England)**

…

"Kagome! Your grandfather called." Kagome's mother said to her bedraggled daughter.

"But grandpa lives with us – why would he call?" Kagome said, confused.

"No, no. Your father's father." Her mother said softly.

"Papa called?" Kagome said excitedly. She hadn't spoken to her grandfather in nearly two years!

"Yes. He wants you to come spend the year in England with him."

"What? But – the shards!"

"Kagome. It's your decision, but…"

"I miss him a lot, Mama, but I can't just leave."

"I'm sure you could reach a compromise with Inuyasha." Her mother encouraged.

"I don't know…"

"Well, your grandfather said he would be here in three days, to see you. He has something important to tell you, regardless of whether or not you accept his invitation."

"Well, if I want to be back for his visit, then I should return to the Fuedal Era now!" Kagome said happily. "Inuyasha won't be happy, but I guess there's not much he can do about it."

"I'm sure your grandfather will be pleased."

…

"A YEAR?" Inuyasha exploded.

"Yes. My Grandfather is coming to visit, and he wants to bring me to England."

"No. Naraku will take all the shards!"

"Please Inuyasha! You can find them without me! Take Kikyo. I haven't seen my Papa in forever."

"Hmph."

"Thank you Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, hugging him tightly.

"I didn't agree." Inuyasha mumbled half-heartedly, but he knew the battle was lost anyways.

"C'mon! We've only got three more days!" Kagome called.

…

"Welcome to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Harry." Mrs. Weasley said, hugging him tightly. "I hope the Dursley's fed you a bit more this year?"

"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley." Harry grinned.

"Nice to see you Harry!" Sirius said, bounding towards his favorite godson.

"Sirius!" Harry cried. "Can't the Aurors find you here?"

"Nope. Dumbledore himself is the secret keeper." Sirius said. "I just can't leave the building."

"Harry!" Hermione called from the kitchen. "You're finally here!"

"Hermione?"

"Ron's in here too, and Ginny." Hermione said, gesturing into the large kitchen.

"Dumbledore will be stopping by tonight, and you can ask him any questions then."

"Really? Does he come by often?" Harry asked.

"Once or twice a week. But he said he's going to away for a while, so tonight's the last time he'll come to visit for a while." Ginny said.

"Where's he going?"

Ginny shrugged.

"No one knows. Even Lupin and Sirius and all them in the Order don't really understand why he's going away when You Know Who has just reappeared." Ron said.

"Huh. Well, maybe he'll explain tonight." Harry said.

"Here, Harry. Have some soup; those Dursleys never feed you enough." Mrs. Weasley said in a mothering tone.

"Thanks."

…

"Bye, Inuyasha! My mom says you can stop by for ramen whenever you want!" Kagome called, three days later.

Inuyasha grumbled a bit under his breath, but it was half-hearted as he escorted her down the well.

"Don't go breaking some other priceless artifact. We need you back at the end of the year." He said warningly.

"I won't." Kagome promised as he disappeared back into the Fuedal Era.

"Kagome?" an English voice called.

"Papa!" Kagome called, hugging the silver haired man. He stared down at his favorite granddaughter of half moon spectacles.

"Have you been practicing your English, Kagome??" He questioned teasingly.

"Yes, Papa! Mama made sure I always brought my English textbook to the Fuedal Era."

"Good." Her grandfather said, in Japanese.

"Papa! Your hair is longer than mine now!" Kagome said, stunned.

"Why yes, yes it is!"

"Mama said you had something important to tell me, Papa." Kagome said quietly.

He sighed.

"How much has your mother told you about my son?" he asked.

"Not much."

"Well. This is a bit difficult to explain, but your father's side of the family are wizards."

"Wizards?"

"Much like your mother is from a line of mikos, though none have shown any powers in several hundred years, my side of the family possess magic."

"Why didn't any one tell me?"

"Your father was what was called a squib; he possessed no magic despite being from a family of wizards. We assumed that none of you would possess powers, and decided it was best not to tell you."

"Then why tell me now?" Kagome was confused.

"The more I hear about this well, the more I think that it is your magic being used rather than your miko energy."

"Why?"

"Time travel is an imprecise art, but it has never been a power of a miko, Kagome. It is distinctly a wizard or witch thing. I believe that you cast a spell on the well when you first fell through, after being tackled by that centipede. In your panic, you not only activated your miko powers, but your magic as well."

"So there's a whole world of wizards and witches?"

"I'm headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, for young magic users such as yourself." Kagome's grandfather, Albus Dumbledore, said with twinkling eyes. "I want you to attend it this year."

"Really? I'm going to a school for magic?" Kagome said excitedly.

"The next term starts in a month. However, most witches and wizards have already had five years of training, for they started at eleven. I will be tutoring you here in Japan before I return to London to buy your school supplies, so you will be all caught up."

"Are there many schools for magic, or just yours?" Kagome asked.

"No, no there are quite a few. There is actually one here in Japan."

"Why not send me there?"

"And miss the opportunity to see my favorite granddaughter everyday?" Dumbledore said smiling down at his deceased son's daughter.

"Papa! Thank you so much!" Kagome said, hugging her grandfather tighter.

"From now on, though, we use English."

"Yes, Papa."

...

"Dumbledore didn't answer any of my questions!" Harry complained. "And now he's gone until school starts."

"It's alright Harry. I'm sure he has his reasons." Hermione said consolingly.

"Yeah, mate. He didn't answer any of our questions either." Ron said.

"Want a sweet to make it better?" Fred offered.

"Knowing you two, it will probably make me puke." Harry said.

"Nope. High fever, and these great big yellow pus blisters!" George said. "But I think we've gotten it right this time, and the blisters should be gone. Want a taste?"

"No."

"C'mon mate, cheer up. He's not trying to make you upset. I'm sure there's something really important wherever he is that will help us defeat You Know Who. It's top secret!" Ron said

"But he didn't even tell the Order why he'd be gone!" Ginny pointed out,

"Dumbledore just enjoys making us think. He probably just wants a vacation." Hermione said reasonably. "He has been working very hard."

"I just want school to start." Harry said. "Then maybe we could make some sense of this all."

…

almost a month later

"So, I will see you in a week Papa?" Kagome said, hugging him goodbye.

"Yes. The semester starts then. I would bring you, but you are going to have to be treated as any other student. You'll have to take the Hogwarts Express."

"Platform 9 and ¾." Kagome said.

"Kagome, while we are there do not speak of your miko ancestry. Try not to speak of our relationship either, for there are great evils rising and if they were to hear of you, they would surely use you against me." Dumbledore said.

"Alright, Papa. I'll see you then."

"Gryffindor table, remember."

"Kagome? Come inside dear. Goodbye, Albus." Her mother called.

"I'm going to pack, Mama. I can't wait!"

…

"Another year at Hogwarts." Hermione said, staring at the wall leading to the platform.

"Yeah." Harry said.

Ron and Ginny were already through, and the twins were just leaving.

"Bye dears. Have a great year!" Mrs. Weasley called.

Kagome watched the group of people she recognized as wizards run through the barrier. Dumbledore had assured her that any red-heads she would come across would be very friendly, and those who associated themselves with these people are quite trustworthy. Taking a deep breath, she followed them through the barrier.

The scarlet engine was her first sight; the next being a toad leaping towards her.

"Trevor! Come back here!" a boy called. He was gangly and tall, but looked a bit awkward with his height.

"Sorry miss. Trevor's always escaping." The boy explained, before grasping the toad and rushing onto the train.

In the mayhem, she had lost sight of the red heads. Sighing, Kagome clambered into the train and searched out an empty compartment.

It was remarkably easy, and she was soon situated in her lonely compartment.

Unfolding a letter, Kagome began to read,

_Dear Kagome, _

_Once you board the Hogwarts Express, try to make some friends. I will not be able to greet you until after the feast. The password to my office and chambers is Werthers. Please ask Professor McGonagall for directions. Leave your belongings on the train, and someone will take them to the Gryffindor Tower for you. The password to the tower is mandrake. Have a good trip!_

_-Papa_

Kagome smiled, and tucked the letter away in her robes, having already changed.

"Um, excuse me?" a girl said.

"Yes?" Kagome replied in unaccented English.

"Is there anyone else sitting in here? I'm afraid that there aren't very many compartments." She said.

"Oh no. Help yourself."

"Thank you. There's just two more boys coming,"

"I'm Kagome Higurashi." Kagome introduced.

"Hermione, Hermione Granger." Kagome smiled politely.

Mentally, she was yelling at her grandfather for not telling her much about the people at the school, other than she couldn't go wrong trusting a red head, he had wanted her to form her own opinions of his students.

"And this is Ron Weasely, and Harry Potter." They watched her carefully during the introductions, but she didn't react to Harry's name.

"What year are you in?' Harry asked, nervously pressing his hair down on his forehead.

"Fifth."

"Really? That's our year. But I've never seen you around; what house are you in?" Hermione asked.

"Gryffindor. I'm new."

"A new student? I don't think I've ever heard of a new student this late!"

"I was a rather late developer." Kagome explained.

"Are you all caught up? I can help you with your school work if you want." Hermione said excitedly.

"I had a tutor for the past month, so I have most of it down but yes, please I would enjoy a study partner." Kagome said, equally excited.

As the girls talked, Harry and Ron were quietly discussing Voldemort, and what he could possibly be doing.

"Dumbledore said he messed up; I wasn't supposed to live. His comeback was supposed to be a secret so he could gain control without raising alarm."

"Charlie said that a bunch of the dragons have been disappearing in Romania; you think You Know Who is taking them?"

"Depends. How old are they?"

"Mostly hatchlings, Charlie says, that are usually at the right age to train."

"Probably then. Do you think the Order is making any progress?"

"Nah. Dumbledore's been gone for a while now, so not much could of happened."

"I hope we get to talk to him after the feast. I wonder what he was doing in Japan?"

"I don't know."

"Guys! Kagome lived in a shrine!" Hermione babbled. "How cool is that?"

"A shrine?"

"Yes. There is a tree in our yard that is considered sacred, and is over 500 years old."

"Wow."

Their compartment door slid open noisily, and a rather fat lady entered.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?"

As usual, Harry bought some of everything, this time getting to laugh at another when Kagome opened her first chocolate frog only to have it jump into her face.

"What card did you get?"

"Dumbledore." Kagome said softly, smiling down at her grandfather. He winked at her, and gave her a large smile before walking off the card. "Where did he go?"

"Can't expect him to hand around all day, can you?" Ron said. "Hey Harry, didn't you get Dumbledore in your first frog too?'

"Yeah. I did." Harry said, thinking back to his first trip on the Hogwarts Express.

"And he's not that common of a card, either. Weird. My first card was some old man with boils on his face." Ron said thoughtfully.

Kagome tucked the card into her pocket, smiling softly.

"What courses are you signed up for, Kagome?" Hermione asked.

"Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Occlumency, Potions, History of Magic, and Care of Magical Creatures. I also have a free period every other day." A/N, the fifth book is when Harry begins his Occlumency lessons.

"What's Occlumency?" Ron asked.

"It's a magical art, for defending the mind against external penetration. Funny, I didn't know that Hogwarts offered it as a class." Hermione said instantly.

"I was just given my schedule, but Professor Dumbledore said that he thinks that I will be very good at it, and believes that it is a good choice for me."

"Blimey. Dumbledore himself is giving Kagome lesson recommendations. You sure are special." Ron said.

Kagome blushed slightly, casting her gaze to her shoes.

"Well, it is certaintly going to be a strange year, with Voldemort coming back and all." Harry said.

Ron flinched, and Hermione stared at Kagome's blank expression.

"Who's Voldemort?"

The trio blanched.

"Who's Voldemort? Who's _Voldemort_?" Ron's voice had gotten high squeaky as he spoke the dreaded name.

Kagome was taken aback; perhaps her Papa had forgotten to mention something to her.

"Voldemort is a dark wizard. He recently rose in power again, after being presumed dead trying to kill Harry when he was a baby." Hermione said softly.

"Harry?" Kagome said, looking at the Boy Who Lived.

Harry pushed his bangs out of the way, and revealed the scar.

"This is the scar the killing curse left on me, before it was rebounded on him. It killed both my parents."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I never really knew them. But now he's back, and he's after me."

"Then why are you in school?" Kagome said, shocked.

"Because there's only one person Voldemort fears." Harry explained. "Dumbledore."

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise. It all clicked; her grandfather had brought her to school with him rather than in Japan because he was worried. If Voldemort knew about her, he could use her to defeat her Papa. Dumbledore was keeping her safe with him so he could protect everyone else as well.

"Wow." Kagome said.

"I can't believe you've never heard of him."

"My father was a squib; I was only discovered a month ago, and my mother didn't have any connections to magic either. No one would of needed to explain it to me before then since I was a 'muggle'." Kagome explained.

"Oh." The compartment was silent for a minute.

The door slid open, and Neville dashed in.

"Have you seen Trevor?"

"Sorry, Neville."

"We're almost to Hogwarts and I can't find him!" Neville wailed. "You'd better change; we're only 15 minutes away."

And so the Hogwarts Express drew closer to Hogwarts, bringing Kagome closer to her destination.

--

First chapter done! Like I said, this is a sort of filler story so don't expect another chapter immediately. This is also a fairly long chapter for me, so let me know if you like shorter, faster updates, or longer, slower and altogether better updates (which most likely will only occur once per month or so). I'm hoping to get back on track with the Fan and the Arrow soon, so… REVIEW!


	2. Chapter 2

Forgot this last time: I don't own Harry Potter or Inuyasha

_Forgot this last time: I don't own Harry Potter or Inuyasha. This is a blanket disclaimer that applies to every chapter in this FANfiction._

_**Japanese (when in England)**_

_English __(When in Japan)_

Kagome and Hermione walked together to the carriages, Ron and Harry slightly behind them. Kagome stared at the strange horse-like creatures that drew the carriages, but pushed her curiosity aside. There were probably several magical creatures like this that were a part of everyday life here, and she didn't want to look too naïve.

"I think we have Potions and Herbology separately, and Occlumency obviously. But everything else is with me and Harry and Ron." Hermione said, smiling at their new Japanese friend as they boarded the carriage.

"That's good."

"I feel bad that we're not in your potions class; Snape is a nightmare." Hermione said apologetically.

"It's okay, I'm sure I'll live."

"I don't know… If you get on his bad side he might poison you or something." Ron said, shuddering.

"Ron! I'm sure that he wouldn't go that far." Hermione said.

Kagome noted uneasily that she hadn't quite contradicted Ron's statement.

"Well, we'll have plenty of time to talk about that during the feast, but we're here." Harry pointed out.

The group jumped out of the carriage and made there way into the Entrance Hall. Harry and Hermione directed Kagome to the Great Hall as Ron sped ahead to 'get seats' ("More like find the best seats for food." Harry snorted)

"Over here, Harry!" Ron called, waving at them from some seats. Lavender and Seamus sat across from him, looking at the strange new student.

Kagome stared at the floating candles and the ceiling, echoing the starlit sky above it. Her gaze swept over the four house tables, then up to the staff table. Her grandfather was not present yet, though she could tell which seat was his. The seat to his right was empty too, though the rest were filled. She caught a glimpse of a fat old woman, a greasy haired man and rather large hairy man, before she was ushered into her seat by Hermione and another red headed girl.

"I'm Ginny Weasley. That's my brother, Ron." The girl said.

"I'm Kagome."

"Are you new?"

"Yes. I'm from Japan, and I only recently discovered that I had magical powers."

"Say, Kagome. Isn't there a magic school in Japan?" Hermione said.

Harry and Ron looked up in interest, having met students from other schools the year before.

"Yes, but Hogwarts is a far better school and I am half-English. In the end, it was decided because my late English father was the one I received my magic from; he was a squib." Kagome fibbed quickly.

"Oh." Hermione said.

At that moment her grandfather entered from a door near the staff table, and took his seat. Kagome looked up into his sparkling blue eyes, so much like her own, and smiled. Dumbledore gave her a small wink, before drawing the attention of the entire hall.

"We are ready to begin the Sorting Ceremony." Dumbledore said, his voice ringing through the large hall.

The great doors were pushed open, and a rather stern lady entered, a crowd of First Years following her nervously like sheep.

"When I call your name, you shall step up to the stool and put on the Sorting Hat." The woman said sharply, clearing her throat.

Kagome watched in interest as the hat shouted out the different houses.

"A talking hat?" Kagome whispered to Hermione.

"What? Oh yes, it's the Sorting Hat. Magically enchanted, and lives in Dumbledore's study."

"Wow."

"Mhmm."

"Which professor is Professor McGonagall?"

"The one who brought the First Years in, why?"

"She's supposed to take me to Professor Dumbledore's office before I return to the Common Room." Kagome explained, her grandfather's name slipping off her tongue awkwardly.

"Oh."

They fell silent as the hat finished sorting 'Zaink, Drew.'

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts." Dumbledore rumbled. "Just a few reminders, the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds, and Mr. Flich would like to add whizzing whirpools to the list of items forbidden on campus. Monthly trips to Hogwarts have been cancelled for the year."

The was a large outcry.

"It is for your own protection." Dumbledore said firmly. "Now enjoy the feast."

The tables filled with food as Harry, Ron and Hermione leaned together.

"He didn't mention You Know Who." Ron whispered.

"I think that it's 'cause of Umbridge." Harry said.

"Who?"

"The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She was at my trial over the summer." Harry said.

Kagome did a double take.

"Trial?"

"He was framed." Hermione said, waving it off as the continued their discussion.

Kagome then concentrated on the food and joining in on the other, only slightly more normal conversations.

"So Fred and George have these awesome candies that make you sick, to get out of class." Seamus was telling Lavender, while Ginny snorted.

"But some of them give you giant yellow pus filled blisters." Ginny retorted.

Kagome gave up even trying to find a semblance of a normal conversation, and just enjoyed that everyone around her was just as abnormal as she was.

"Kagome? The feast's over." Hermione said, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Oh." Kageome stood and said her good byes as she headed towards Professor McGonagall. Her grandfather had already left the room.

"Miss Higurashi? Follow me please." The professor instructed.

Kagome nodded, and followed the stern woman through the castle.

"Careful about the stairs – they have a mind of their own occasionally." She warned.

Kagome watched in amusement as stairs moved, startling a pair of students in mid climb.

"This is Professor Dumbledore's office. You should know the password, and he will direct you to the Gryffindor Common Room afterwards. Good night, Miss Higurashi. I shall see you tomorrow in Transfiguration." Professor McGonagall said, before sweeping her way down the hall.

"Werthers?" Kagome said to the gargoyle. It leapt aside, revealing an escalator like set of winding stairs.

She stepped onto them nervously, and glanced around as they took her up. It was a plain stone passage, and she soon grew bored. Eventually, they stopped in front of a door. She reached up a hand to knock, but the door was opened from the inside.

"Kagome. Come in. We will talk in my private quarters, away from the prying eyes of my paintings." Dumbledore said, leading Kagome away from his study, containing the curious portraits of past headmasters.

"Hello Papa." Kagome said, hugging him as soon as they were out of sight.

"_**Did you make any friends?"**_ Dumbledore asked in Japanese.

"_**Yes. They are all very nice; Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny."**_ Kagome said.

"Good." Dumbledore, said, smiling down at her. "Now about your schedule."

"Hai?"

"Occlumency; I'm afraid that yoou'll be privately tutored by Professor Snape. I shall be very busy this year, so I'm afraid I won't be seeing much of you. I understood from conversations with your mother that your mind has been attacked several times. I believe you will greatly benefit from those lessons."

"Hai, Papa."

"I also left you a free period, but this book here is what I want you to use. It's the only one I could find that contains any decent information on Japanese Mikos; unfortunately much literature has been destroyed over the past 500 years surrounding priestesses of your caliber. Did you know that you were the last miko of the Fuedal Era?" Dumbledore said, handing her a thick novel.

"I was?"

"Yes. Now this should help give you some back ground on your powers, but there are no instructions or teaches for mikos nowadays, so you will have to just keep practicing shooting with your bow and arrows. I am giving you permission to enter the Forbidden Forest; I know you can take care of yourself, but do not tell anyone else where you go. I cannot show favoritism. There area few lower class demons, but they are quite far in. Closer to the castle you will encounter unicorns and centaurs. Maybe even a giant." Dumbledore said.

"Thank you. I'll keep practicing."

"But school comes first; no miko jaunts before your homework is done." Dumbledore said playfully.

"Shall I go now?"

"Yes. I will have a painting show you the way to the Common Room. You got my letter with the password, right?"

"Yes Papa. Thank you!"

"Good night, Kagome." Dumbledore said softly.

--

Kagome yawned, and slipped into her bed. It had been a tiring walk back to the common room, escorted by some deranged knight on a 'quest'. Really, her grandfather had to learn to make less eccentric friends.

"How was your meeting with Dumbledore?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Good. Just wanted to make sure I was settling in alright." Kagome said. "'Night Hermione."

"Goodnight."

--

Kagome woke with the sun, and quietly moved out of the dorm into the Common Room. No one else was up yet, so Kagome curled up in an armchair by the fire.

She stared into the fire for a while, and yelped when a head popped out of it.

"_**Who are you?!"**___ Kagome screamed in Japanese.

"Shhh! What did you say?" the man said, shaking his ash covered head and looking around the room.

"Who are you? Why are you in the fire?"

"Just get Harry Potter." The man said, still glancing around wildly. "No one's supposed to be up.." he mumbled.

Kagome scrambled away from the stranger in the fire, and ran up the steps to the boys dorm.

"Harry! Harry!" she whispered fiercly.

"Ka-Kagome?" Harry said, sitting up and putting his glasses on.

"There's a man in the fire talking and he asked for you!" Kagome said.

"Sirius!"

"Who?"

"No one. I'll be right down."

Harry swept past Kagome and ran down the cold stone steps to the fire.

"Sirius! That was dangerous! You're lucky it was just Kagome that found you."

Kagome returned to the girl's dorm, understanding that it was a personal conversation.

"Just Kagome? Anybody seeing me is trouble! I didn't think anyone would be up so early. I was just checking in on you."

"Kagome's new to the magical world – she won't know who you are. She's from Japan."

"Are you sure? I'm positve I've heard that name before." Sirius said. "Maybe Dumbledore mentioned her once."

"Probably. She's a new student in 5th year, he's bound to have said something."

"No, no. Not recently. He mentioned the name when I was still in school."

"Then it was a different Kagome. Anyways, what did you want to say?"

"I was checking in on you. We didn't get a proper goodbye."

"Oh." Harry sighed in relief, having wondered if Voldemort had been active.

"I've got to get going. Try and come up with something _other_ than I'm a wanted criminal to keep your Japanese friend occupied with, okay?" Sirius said, his face fading back into the ashes.

"'Kay."

--

Harry and Kagome hadn't talked since the incident with the fire, and Kagome seemed to be avoiding the subject, much to Harry's relief. The group had gone to breakfast, Ron and Hermione not even noticing the slight tension between the two dark-haired friends.

"So we have Defense Against the Dark Arts first, all of us together!" Hermione said. "I can't wait for classes to start."

"But it's with that frumpy old toad Umbridge." Ron pointed out.

"But it's Defense Against the Dark Arts! It's hard to make _that_ class dull." Hermione pointed out.

Kagome listened, interested in this class.

"What do you do in this class?"

"We learn spells to defend ourselves. It should be even more helpful now that Voldemort is back."

"Oh." They entered the Great Hall and sat down together to eat breakfast.

Kagome yelped in surprise when the owls came swooping through the windows, dropping packages left and right.

"Don't worry, it's just the mail. And look, you have a letter!"

"Who's it from?" Ron asked.

"_**Inuyasha!**_" Kagome smiled. He'd written (well, scratched in some ancient kanjis) a letter to her. _Probably mom's idea…_ Kagome thought.

"Say what?" Ron said.

"My friend from Japan sent me a letter." Kagome said. "He's not normally this sweet."

"That's nice of him. Viktor sent me a letter, too." Hermione said, holding up several pages of parchment.

Ron choked;

"You're still in touch with Krum?"

Kagome gave up even trying to understand what her English friends were talking about.

"So what if I am? He's very sweet; he wants me to visit his home next summer."

Ron coughed louder.

"And you're not going, right?"

"What if I am?" Hermione repeated stubbornly.

Harry sighed, and interrupted the fight.

"C'mon. We're going to be late for class if you two keep this up."

"Fine." Hermione and Ron stopped talking and gathered their things, moving out of the hall and towards their class.

"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. I am Dolores Umbridge and I will be your teacher this year. Please be silent and read the first two chapters of your textbook. No wands will be necessary."

Kagome sighed; her grandfather had already made her read all of her textbooks in an effort to catch her up.

"Professor Umbridge? I've finished the book already." Kagome said, beating Hermione to it.

"I have too." Hermione added.

"Read it again."

Harry and Ron stared at the two girls as they glared angrily at their teacher. Both seemed to share a passion for learning and being told to reread a book instead of learn something new had shocked the two students.

"But professor –"

"Kindly refrain from talking. Speak again, and it will be a detention."

Kagome frowned unhappily. Her grandfather hired teachers like this? Hermione too looked rather disgruntled and opened her book with a loud clatter. Harry and Ron read slowly and silently, afraid to even say one word to the girls. Their wrath was almost scarier than the new teacher's pinky, frilly talk-and-die attitude.

The class passed silently, the clock ticking loudly and Umbridge staring down at them disapprovingly as if they were still doing something wrong.

When they were finally dismissed, both Kagome and Hermione slammed their books closed, already half way through again.

"That teacher is ridiculous!" Kagome cried, frustrated.

"I haven't learnt anything!" Hermione wailed. "This year is going to be awful."

Harry and Ron just watched the two rant, happy that Hermione had found a kindred spirit to complain about the lackings of their education with.

"Transfiguration should be better. Dumbledore placed us all in the Animagus class – we should get to learn to transform ourselves." Harry said consolingly to the distraught pair of girls.

"An Animagus?" Kagome asked.

"A person who has mastered the skill to transform into a specific animal. I think Dumbledore created this advanced class after my dad and his friends taught themselves, rather than have everyone do that and end up half way in between." Harry explained.

"Then we don't want to be late." Hermione said, ushering them towards the Transfiguration classroom.

--

_This is, yet again, longer than usual. I'm on a roll! I've always liked the Animagus idea so I've decided (on the spur of the moment at the end of this chapter) to include it. I actually think it improves my plot. Jost a reminder that this does not follow the plot to the 5__th__ book, because anyone can put another character a scene and I like making my own plots. Plus Sirius has always been my favorite character and I don't think I could kill him off… I cried for days when it happened in the book._


	3. Chapter 3

Been on a lovely vacation

_Been on a lovely vacation. But I'm back and ready to type a bit. Hope that this makes up for the wait!_

…

"Welcome to the Advanced Animagus Transfiguration class." Professor McGonagall said. "This group has been carefully selected by the headmaster himself. If you do not feel up to the standards that will be required of you, I suggest you change classes."

Kagome looked around nervously. What was her grandfather thinking? She'd never taken any magic courses, so she could hardly deal with an advanced class like this!

Hermione was taking notes at a fierce pace, listening intently to the teacher as she talked about the dangers of improper transformations.

"So, on a final note, we will not be attempting the transformation for several months and for the time being will learn about the mechanics of such a transformation. If you have a good understanding of exactly what will happen, it will prevent accidents from occurring."

Kagome sighed in relief. If it was just theory for now, she could catch up easier.

"So tonight I want you all to read through your textbook, _An Animagus Transformation, part 1_."

The class flew by, and soon the four of them were parting ways.

"I'm sorry that we can't come with you, but we all have Herbology now. Good luck in Potions." Hermione said.

Kagome nodded, and headed down to the dungeons, following another group of students.

Snape was not there when she arrived, so she took a seat by herself and looked around. She didn't recognize anyone in her class.

The door banged open and Snape strode in.

"Welcome to the 5th year of potions. I expect you all to work silently and quickly to keep up with me, and not to speak unless spoken to." He instructed in a quick drawl.

Kagome swallowed nervously.

"We will begin this lesson by completing a potion of your choice. It must be finished by the end of the period." Snape said.

Kagome opened her textbook, reading the English instructions slowly. She decided on a healing potion after a few minutes of searching.

The ingredients were easy enough, and soon she was remembering days of searching out herbs for Kaede and mixing them together with her incarnation's sister.

"Miss Higurashi, I presume?" Snape said.

"Yes, Professor." Kagome responded, looking up.

"You are the student that requires private Occlumency lessons with myself?"

"Yes, sir."

"You will report to my office then."

"Yes, sir."

Snape did not seem as bad as Harry made him out to be, just a little Sesshomaru-like.

"When you are finished, bring your potion up here." Snape called from the front of the classroom..

Kagome finished up, staring apprehensively at the bubbling yellow potion in front of her. Nervously, she scooped some into a vial and brought it to the teacher. He nodded curtly, showing no sign of surprise at her excellent potion-making skills. Dumbledore had said she would be special.

Kagome bowed to Professor Snape before heading towards the Gryffindor Common Room; it was her free period and she had to fetch her bow and arrows.

The Common Room was deserted; everyone had class. Kagome picked up her worn bow, running a hand over the smoothed wood. It had been a while since she had gotten some practice in.

Strapping the quiver to her back, she traveled quickly to the Entrance Hall and exited the castle. She only glanced back once, towards the doors, then cast her eyes around the Hogwarts Grounds. The edge of the forest was nearby, a hut at it's edge a short distance away. Overgrown pumpkins littered the ground, growing presumably for the American holiday 'Halloween' that was common to celebrate amongst witches and wizards. Kagome avoided the hut with practiced ease, and entered the silent forest. There was nothing near the edge of the forest, so she traveled further in. Eventually, she became aware of demons and other creatures, nearly four or five miles in. A little while back she had passed a giant, tethered to a tree. It had shaken her to stumble upon such a large creature, but she had quickly gotten over her fear and realized it was no more than a child. Smiling (from a safe distance) Kagome had left it to play in the forest, shaking birds loose from trees. A few miles past the giant she saw a unicorn – at least she thought she did. It had stood before her for a few seconds, white and glowing, it's proud head tossing, before turning to leave.

Now she sat, opening the book her grandfather had given her. It was written in Japanese, an older script, but one she recognized nonetheless. She read carefully, but it didn't reveal much that she didn't know. It was just about channeling energy through a weapon of choice, which she could do with her bow. Eventually she set down the book, deciding to read it later in her real free time rather than waste her practice time.

A couple low class demons had been drawn the eight shards hanging around her neck. The first one slithered into the clearing after a few moments, hissing and sputtering.

"Shikon."

Kagome drew an arrow, and fired it straight through the snake. It disintegrated. The other demons sensed the pure energy; they were suddenly much more stealthy.

Kagome glanced around wildly as one drew near; it was practically on top of her and she couldn't see it! On a sudden whim, she glanced to the skies, stifling a shout of surprise as an scaly owlish bird dived towards her. Her arrow clattered against her bow loudly as she fumbled to draw it. At the last second, she released it and it flew true. The pink light shot straight up into the sky, bursting into thousands of sparkling dots.

The other demons appeared to be moving off. Kagome sighed, and picked up her 'textbook', _A Miko's Journey_, and headed back to the castle.

…

Harry stared out of the window. He had been sitting in A History of Magic, dozing off as usual, when a strange pink light flashed out of the Forbidden Forest.

"What was that?" He hissed at Ron, but his only response was a snore.

Shaking his head to clear it, Harry glanced out the window again, but there were no more light displays. _Huh. _He thought.

Professor Binns had stopped talking, and everyone was moving around. Class was over. Harry picked up his books and followed Ron and Hermione to Charms class. Kagome would finally be in another one of his classes. It seemed Hermione had missed A History of Magic on Kagome's schedule; it was another class they didn't share.

"Hello!" Kagome called breathlessly. She had just run all the way to the common room and back.

"How was potions Kagome?"

"All right. He was decent; I suppose he must tolerate me if he's going to be having two lessons with me; one private too."

"He wasn't awful to you?" Harry said, incredulous.

"Harry, Snape is worst to you. He hated your dad, remember? He doesn't know anything about Kagome's parents." Hermione said.

Kagome almost laughed; Snape would have a fit if he knew who her grandfather was.

They entered the Charms classroom together, still talking about Snape's strict ways.

Kagome giggled as she caught a glimpse of tiny bearded Professor Flitwick.

Professor Flitwick glanced up as the students poured in for the first Charms lesson of the year.

"Welcome, welcome to Charms! I hope you all had a good summer! We are going to be working on some more complex spells this year, more to do with changing perceptions. To make someone see something that is not really there, or feel an emotion that they aren't producing."

Kagome listened intently. It appeared to be an interesting class. It would be helpful in the Fuedal Era to be able to produce a calming feeling for panicking villagers.

So Professor Flitwick began to explain the complicated process of learning these spells, everyone scribbling notes.

…

_I know this is rather short, but your reviews made me feel I had to post something! Just a few answers for everyone; no one knows of Dumbledore and Kagome's relationship. Sorry that nothing happened in the Animagus class. I think it's too early in the year for them to even be attempting something like that; they won't for a while. I want Kagome's shape to be perfect. I'm not sure, dog, fox or something else. I'd appreciate if everyone gave me their opinions! Please vote dog, fox or any other suggestions. Also, I'd like opinions on whether Kagome should speak parseltongue; I hate making her some super powered person, but it's just so cool and I always wanted someone in the books to also speak to snakes (other than voldemort)_

_Thnx, and Keep reviewing! –Bluebells_


	4. Chapter 4

I love your reviews everyone

_I love your reviews everyone! They make me feel warm and fuzzy (no joke) and smile a lot. I'm trying to keep writing quickly because I want you all to stay interested in my story._

_Dog (silver) – 1_

_Fox – 2 (one request for black with multiple tails)_

_Other – 1(panther)_

_Fox is winning. I don't know if this vote will affect what I choose, I just want to know what my readers like. I personally am veering towards another animal just because I might make this Harry/Kagome so a dog is not the best idea and I've read wayyyy to many fics where Kagome turns kitsune. But you may yet convince me, if I can't find an alternative animal (I like the panther idea, but I might need her to be smaller for certain plot details.) And BTW Snape may seem a little OOC simply because Alan Rickman is my (second! The first being David Tennant) favorite actor and he plays Snape in the movies. I just can't be too mean to him!_

…

The first day of classes had passed rather uneventfully compared to past years at Hogwarts. Kagome was eating slowly in the Great Hall, delaying her inevitable trip to Professor Snape's office for her first Occlumency lesson.

"How was your first day, Kagome?" Hermione asked.

"It was, well amazing. My school in Japan was not this fun."

"I know. Muggle school seems lame compared to Hogwarts." Harry and Hermione agreed.

"But I do miss my friends. I used to spend all my time with them, and being so far away from them is hard." Kagome said.

"What were they like, your friends?"

"They were very loyal and brave. They always made me laugh too." Kagome said, thinking of her feudal era friends. One hand toyed with the letter Inuyasha sent her, smiling faintly.

"They sound like great friends."

"Well, I have to be going. Professor Snape is expecting me soon." Kagome said nervously.

"Bye." Harry said, and the trio watched her leave with sympathetic eyes.

Kagome made her way down several flights of stairs. She stood in front of his door for a few moments, before knocking loudly.

"Come in." Kagome entered the dank room.

It was dark and cold, the walls lined with jars of _something_. There was a rickety chair set in front of his desk, where Snape sat menacingly.

"Take a seat, Miss Higurashi." Snape said, gesturing to the seat in front of him.

Kagome sat quietly.

"The art of Occlumency is the art of protecting the mind from attack." Snape drawled. "It is unusual for Dumbledore to request I teach a student. You had better meet my expectations."

"Yes, sir." Kagome said softly.

"I will attack your mind, and you will try to defend. Understand?"

"Um, sir, how do I –"

"Just do your best." Snape said sharply.

Kagome tried to contain the fear that was racing through her mind. The last time her mind had been attacked, she had almost killed Inuyasha.

"O-okay." She said, stuttering slightly.

Snape eyed the trembling student, before casting his spell.

Immediately she stiffened, and lashed out with a wave of strange magic. Snape took a deep breath.

"Control, Miss Higurashi!" He snapped, clearing his head of random memories and blinding pink light that he had seen in her mind.

"I'm sorry." Kagome whispered.

He tried, again, being more careful with his student's mind. It was clear that she wasn't as inexperienced as he believed she was.

This time she didn't react so violently to his intrusion. He could still feel her cringing and trying to bring forth more of the strange magic, but it didn't react as instinctually as the first time, when she was unprepared. She was struggling, and he caught random snatches of memories. A birthday here, a birthday there – was that Dumbldore at her party? But the flash was gone. Now there were memories of a boy – Dog ears?! Snape was jerked from her memories suddenly as she grasped the power again.

"Very good, for a first attempt, Miss Higurashi." She looked exhausted, he noted. Whatever pink magic she kept using, it tired her out rapidly.

"Once more."

More dog ears, this time there was a little fox boy as well. A man groping a woman, three chattering school girls pushing a dopey looking boy towards him. A little black haired boy that looked suspiciously like Kagome chatting with Dumbledore. Hugging Dumbledore, a long ago memory associated with one word. _"GrandPapa."_ A child's voice.

He was thrown again from the memories. It was getting harder for her , he could tell.

"Exactly who is Dumbledore to you?" Snape inquired.

Kagome looked up at him sheepishly.

"You saw that, did you? Dumbledore is my grandfather."

"Your grandfather!" The teacher sputtered.

"My father was a 'squib' and married my mother in Japan."

"Your grandfather!"

"Yes, sir."

Snape regained his composure.

"That is enough for today. Return tomorrow night. You can block me, but your endurance requires quite a bit of work."

Snape understood now. The strange arrival of the little Japanese girl was due to her connection to Dumbledore. If Voldemort knew that Kagome was Dumbledore's prized granddaughter, she would be hunted avidly.

Kagome left his room hurriedly. She had some reading to do before she turned in for the night.

…

"How was Occlumency?" Hermione asked that night,

"It wasn't that bad. He was half-way decent." Kagome said, settling into her bed.

"Really?"

"He's just a bit stiff." Kagome concluded. "I knew another man like him." _Sesshomaru._

"A bit stiff? Tell that to Harry. Snape's had it in for him since the start of school."

Hermione said.

"What are you reading?" Kagome asked, referring to the thick novel in Hermione's hands.

"It's a collection of excerpts from the best DADA textbooks. I figure that we're not going to be learning anything in that class this year so I checked it out. How about you?" Hermione said, gesturing to an equally thick book that Kagome was opening.

"A History of Hogwarts." Kagome said.

"I read that one in my first year. It was very good. When you're finished, I have a bunch of others you could read." Hermione said.

"Thank you!"

…

"Snape isn't that bad?" Ron nearly shrieked.

"Not really." Kagome said, smiling.

"I have the worst luck." Harry mumbled.

"Did you sleep well, Harry? You look kind of peaked." Hermione said, concerned.

"No." Harry said sourly.

"He wakes everyone up, with all the moaning and tossing and screaming he does." Ron said, shaking his head.

Harry frowned unhappily, and opened his textbook as Professor Umbridge entered the room.

It was their third day of classes, and already it was getting to the point where he would snap anyone's head off if they mentioned Umbridge's name.

"Hey mate, cheer up. Quidditch tryouts this weekend." Ron whispered, before opening his textbook as well.

Harry glanced around the classroom after a few minutes. Hermione and Kagome seemed to have the same idea, two thin paperback novels wedged into the pages of their textbooks. They both looked upset still.

"Miss Higurashi. Are you sure you are reading the correct material?" Professor Umbridge said sweetly.

"Hai, I mean, yes professor." Kagome said nervously.

"Detention for lying, Miss Higurashi!"

…

_Another quickie, but it's the same day as the other update so I think that counts as a long enough chapter. I know, I just realized, but Kagome got detention for the same reason as Harry did in the book. This is AU from the book, so I'm not getting into the Ministry problems just yet, but they will show up. As for the DA classes, I don't know. I like original work and that feels too much like sticking Kagome in a scene that everyone knows. Keep voting for her Animagus form! _

_Review! – Bluebells._


	5. Chapter 5

_I feel soooo guilty I just let this sit. But I was a Hurricane Ike victim, and my computer completely crashed on me right when we got power back (which was a fortnight after the storm) so I didn't remember where I was!! I'm so sorry to just leave you. _

_I saw a lot of no fox votes and a lot of fox votes. And a couple dog votes as well as a bunny one. A few birds and other stuff as well. I'm not sure what I prefer, personally, at this point. I'm not leaning towards fox or dog though._

Chapter 5:

"Detention." Kagome moaned.

"It's alright. It's not the end of the world, after all." Hermione said, rubbing Kagome's back soothingly.

"Yeah. Cheer up; Hagrid's overseeing your detention anyways." Ron pointed ot.

"Who?"

"Hagrid. He's the Keeper of Keys and Grounds here, as well as the Care of Magical Creatures teacher. In fact, we have his class after this one." Harry explained. "He's been looking out for us since day 1."

"So it won't be that bad?"

"Nah. You didn't do anything terrible. We got detention for trying to sneak a dragon up one of the towers; and even then we weren't punished that badly." Ron said.

"But no one in Gryffindor would look at us for at least a month." Harry reminded him.

Kagome just stared at the two of them as they rambled on about Norbert and Hagrid's dragon fetish.

The four of them sat in the Gryffindor common room, taking advantage of the twenty minute break they were currently on. Dumbledore had given them a break in between the last two periods as a consolation for taking away Hogsmead visits.

Kagome had A History of Magic class next, while the others had a free period.

"Kagome, you'd better get going, Do you want one of us to show you the way to class?" Hermione pointed out.

"I'll take her Hermione. I have to talk to Binns about the essay anyways. Quidditch tryouts are coming up soon and I don't know if I can manage all of that research at the moment." Harry said, standing.

"Thank you, Harry." Kagome said. "Let me grab my books."

Kagome dashed up the stairs, leaving the trio by the fire.

"I'm surprised she hasn't asked about Sirius yet." Harry muttered.

"She saw Sirius?" Ron asked.

"Yeah. He popped into the fire while she was here."

"Have you thought of how to explain him to her yet?" Hermione said.

"No. I hope she just forgets about it." Harry said with a sigh.

"Here I am!" Kagome called, running back down the stairs, spare parchment and a quill being hastily shoved in her bag.

"This way." Harry said, leading her out of the Common Room,

They walked together in the silence of the halls for a few minutes before Kagome dared to break the ice.

"What's Quidditch?" she asked curiously.

"Quidditch? It's a wizard sport. We play on broomsticks, trying to score points with a ball."

"You actually ride on broomsticks?" Kagome said, mouth open in shock.

"Yeah. It's really fun and really time consuming. Try outs are soon, and then our first game is in two months." Harry said.

"I'll have to come watch the game then."

"Not going to try out for the team?"

"Like you said, it sounds really time consuming. With Occlumency and all my other subjects I don't know if I could handle that. At my old school I was constantly overloaded with work," Kagome said.

Not that her being over loaded with work had anything to do with the fact that she was constantly time-travelling and missing school.

"Got a lot of work at your old school then?" Harry said. "It was a muggle school, right?"

"Yeah. But we didn't get a lot of work, not really. I was just absent a lot."

"Absent?"

"Sick. Very sick." Kagome said, the lie rolling off her tongue easily.

"You don't seem like the type to get sick easily." Harry said

"Oh, not normally. I just had a problem with my white blood cells. They were out of whack for the last year or so, and couldn't fight off infections easily." That had been their excuse for everything.

"That's terrible. Good thing Hogwarts doesn't teach subjects like Maths or English." Harry said with a laugh, "That would be really lame."

"Yeah. I'm not too good at math." Kagome said, shaking her head sorrowfully.

"Well here's your classroom. Do you want me to pick you up for Care of Magical Creatures afterwards? It's on the way." Harry offered.

"Yeah. That sounds good. Thanks, Harry/"

Kagome waved and entered the classroom. That conversation had been by far the most normal one since she had arrived.

Kagome glanced around, and wondered fleetingly if she had the wrong room. Some of the students were asleep, and others had brought pillows. The room was dusty and cluttered, as if no one had cleaned it in a while. She sat down nervously by a drooling student.

Kagome gave a little cry of shock when the teacher came through the blackboard.

"Welcome to your first History of Magic class of the new school year." The ghost said in a dull monotone, settling himself in front of a large book.

"We shall begin with a review of the Goblin Wars and move on to the esteemed accomplishments of our beloved headmaster in his youth."

Kagome's head was spinning as she listened to the drab tone of the professor.

One by one, the students around her drifted off and she suddenly understood why they were carrying pillows. After five years of this man, it must be habit.

But Professor Binns had moved past the Goblins, and was now talking about her grandfather.

"Albus Dumbledore is recognized by several organizations as the greatest wizard to date. He defeated Grindewauld in his famous battle and is well known for his research on the Philosopher's Stone. Dumbledore has connections all over the world in different magical confederations. For several years he lived abroad in Japan, studying demons and their magical qualities. His findings are published in several books. Dumbledore speaks over two hundred languages." Binns went on and on, and finished the class with one final note.

"Dumbledore is quite remarkable considering his family background; his brother was a squib and his own son was one as well. He has no known living relatives at this point."

Kagome smiled, and gathered her belongings. Obviously, her grandfather had gone to great lengths to keep her and her brother a secret. She prodded the drooling boy and smiled when he opened his eyes.

"Class is over."

"It is? Oh thank you. My name's Neville, by the way." The boy said.

"I don't suppose that is your toad on the window sill, is it?" Kagome asked, pointing at a ribbiting toad.

"Trevor!" Neville cried.

"It was nice to meet you!" Kagome called, and walked out of the classroom.

"Bye!"

Kagome stood outside of the classroom and watched the students head out. She leaned against the wall, next to a painting of a rather large squid.

"Hello, Kagome." Harry, Ron and Hermione appeared from the end of the corridor and greeted Kagome.

"Hi guys."

"Ready to meet our favorite teacher?" Ron said.

"Yeah. Let's get going." Kagome said, smiling happily.

"We're going out into the grounds. Follow us." Hermione said as she led the way to the entrance hall.

They swung open the large front doors, and followed a trickle of other students who were meandering down towards Hagrid's hut.

"Hagrid has a rather unusual taste in pets and other things. Don't be surprised if we end up learning about vampires and he actually brings one in." Harry said in warning. "But he's a sweet guy, really." Hermione assured her.

Kagome smiled, and wondered what exactly they were trying to tell her.

"Hermione! Harry! Ron!" a deep, booming voice called.

Kagome glanced up, startled, and was met by the sight of a large, hairy man.

"And who is this?" the man said.

"Hagrid, this is Kagome. Kagome, this is Hagrid." Hermione said, gesturing to the giant of a man.

Once recovering from the shock of meeting him, Kagome smiled pleasantly.

"It's nice to meet you, Hagrid."

"Same, same. You must be that Japanese transfer student that Dumbledore told me about. And unless I'm mistaken, you've got a detention with me tonight." Hagrid said with a wink.

Kagome blushed.

"Yes, yes I do."

"Don't worry. We're just heading into the forest. Fang'll be coming with us too."

"Fang?" Kagome said.

"Hagrid's dog." Ron explained.

"Well, go with the other students and wait for me. I have to bring around what we're looking at today." Hagrid said, gesturing to the crowd of Slytherin and Gryffindor students milling around his hut.

The quartet nodded.

"Looks like you'll get to meet Malfoy. He hates this class." Harry said, gesturing to a blonde dressed in the black and green robes of a Slytherin.

True to Harry's word, Malfoy turned to look at the group of friends.

"Have a good break in your mudpit, Weasel?" Malfoy said, addressing Ron first.

"Shut it, Malfoy." Harry said.

"I'm surprised you'd even return. Everyone knows what a liar you are now, claiming the Dark Lord has returned."

"Ignore him, Harry." Hermione said.

"And who are you?" Malfoy said, raising an eye brow at the Japanese girl before him.

"Kagome. Kagome Higurashi." She said with distaste. "And you?"

"Draco Malfoy."

And that as that.

_I know that it's a bit short, but I hope to be writing more frequently now. I just needed to get something up. _


	6. Chapter 6

_I can't guarantee that I'll be back to writing regularly… I kind of lost inspiration for a lot of stories recently but reading some of the reviews of this story have made me want to continue this one. I have to say, part of my slump has been the inability to find a new fanfiction story that I really want to read, which I haven't read yet. I read – a lot – and I use them for inspiration (mainly, what do the good ones not do that I want?)_

_This chapter is for all of you who make me smile, especially those amazing reviewers. _

Chapter 6:

Harry couldn't help but notice Kagome's meeting with Malfoy had been anticlimactic. Malfoy hadn't even tried to befriend the Japanese girl – he had noticed the foul look in her eyes when she was introduced. Instead, he had cracked some lame joke about Dumbedore's mental state, further raising her ire, and he backed off sharpish.

Everything settled back down to normal quickly enough. Kagome started chatting with

Hermione and Ron watched the two interact with a slightly shocked expression.

Apparently they were discussing the reading they had done over the summer, and the

mere thought of actually doing work during those glorious months was making Ron feel

slightly sick.

Hagrid finally arrived, dragging behind him what appeared to be a horse. It was a gorgeous horse, black and it appeared to be soaked.

"It's beautiful." Hermione whispered.

"It's a kelpie." Hagrid said.

Hermion and Kagome recoiled as if they had been shocked.

The rest of the class looked as confused as Ron and Harry felt.

"A kelpie is a water horse, known to lure men to ride them, before running for the nearest body of water and drowning the rider. Later, they consume the flesh of the mortal foolish enough to ride them. Sometimes, they appear in the form of a beautiful man to lure young women away with them." Kagome said, providing an answer to the class' unasked question.

Ron backed away from the horse, having been inching closer and closer to the shining black coat.

"Very good, Kagome." Hagrid seemed pleased. "Isn't it a gorgeous thing? This guy is from the lake. There's a whole herd of them, but Dumbledore keeps them in check so they don't lure the students into the lake and their death."

"We have kelpies? Here?" Hermione said. "I thought they lived up in Scotland more."

"Yeah, they did. But now that magic is more scarce, they find it hard to find a good place to live that isn't being steadily polluted by the muggles. They tend towards magical places, and Hogwarts is a perfect place. They don't require human flesh to live, they just enjoy it." Hagrid explained.

The class stared at the horse silently. It gave them a once over, before turning back to look at the forest that Hagrid had pulled it out of.

"I've got his partner back there, so I guess I'll take him back now. While I'm gone, pull out your books and give the spine a good stroke. Turn to page 78 and take notes on the habits and habitats of the kelpie. I want complete notes by next class."

"Who'd of thought that Hagrid actually knows how to teach?" Ron whispered after Hagrid disappeared.

"Shush. Hagrid always seemed like the type that would make a good teacher." Hermione said.

Kagome as already bent over her _Monster Book of Monsters_ and was taking notes with a quill.

Hermione noticed that her notes were in Japanese.

"You don't write in English?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, I do, but for notes I find it easiest to write in Japanese. It also makes me feel a little more like I'm at home." Kagome explained. "My grandfather made sure that I could read and write in at least three languages before I turned 10. It's a big deal to him, to be able to communicate with as many people as possible to prevent any misunderstandings or loss of culture between different languages."

"Wow. What else can you speak?"

"Just Japanese, English and French. He wanted me to learn Latin, but I got… very ill recently and I simply haven't had the time to pursue that language."

"That's more than me! I took Ancient Runes in third year, but that's nothing compared to complex languages like Japanese and English. I've heard that English is the hardest to learn."

"It was difficult, but my dad was English too, so I grew up learning both."

At this point, Hagrid returned and released them all from class.

"Man, I wish that I had grandparents that had treated me like that when I was young." Harry said. "I'm not even sure if I have any living grandparents. I've never asked anyone…"

"Maybe you should, Harry. It could do you some good to know you have family other than the Dursleys." Ron suggested.

"But what if my dad's parents are alive? Why didn't they take me, and why haven't they contacted me?" Harry said. "I know that the ones on the Dursley side must be dead – they've never come to visit them and I think that Aunt Petunia mentioned something about their deaths a few years ago."

"Harry, it's worth a try." Hermione said. "They might have really good reason why they haven't talked to you."

Harry just looked away, and proceeded through the doors to the main hall.

Kagome, Hermione and Ron shared a look before following Harry through for lunch.

Ron, as usual, ate like a pig. Hermione and Kagome watched in sick fascination as he consumed nearly his own weight in sausage. Harry stared moodily at him mashed potatoes, picking at them sulkily. Neither Ron nor Hermione made an attempt to get him to talk, knowing that he had a lot to think about. Kagome, on the other time, tried to make him cheer up.  
"I heard that the twins have created a new product – boxes of sweets that make you ill for short period of time, enough to get you out of class." Kagome told Harry.

"Yeah and they give you pus filled blisters. I know." Harry snapped, before clearing out of the hall.

Kagome bit her cheek, looking slightly dismayed.

"Don't worry. Harry was a time bomb waiting to go off – he'll apologize profusely before the week is out." Hermione said, waving a hand at Kagome's discomfort.

Kagome, on the other, wasn't so sure. She stood, glanced at her grandfather, then followed Harry out of the hall.

_And that's a new chapter. The next one should (finally) feature the detention. And maybe some more classes, when I remember which one's they haven't gone to yet. _R+R!!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

"Harry?" Kagome said softly, approaching the sullen boy carefully.  
He had stopped on a moving staircase a few minutes away from the hall, but Kagome had caught up with him easily.

"Go away Kagome. I just need to get away right now." Harry said, standing and moving to get away again.

"Harry, I'm sorry." She whispered.

He kept moving stiffly, but was jerked to a stop when the staircase began to slide away from its bearings, rotating smoothly towards another balcony.

"Harry, what's happening!" Kagome said, lurching forward into him.

"It's just the staircases, Kagome. They do this occasionally." Harry turned around, and gave a half smile. "Sorry."

"It's okay." Kagome said, loosening the grip she had on his cloak. "But do you think you can get me to the greenhouse before class starts? I think I'm going to be late."

"No problem. Follow me, it's outside in Greenhouse 3."

----------

Kagome shivered under her cloak, glancing from side to side in the dark. She pictured Harry and Ron and Hermione, who had all wished her luck from their comfortable seats beside the fire, and mentally cursed them out. The wind whisked around her, rising the chill in the air. Hagrid's hut was ahead of her, and she could just make out his massive form pottering about in front of a well lit window. When she knocked on his door, Fang's booming bark almost made her lose balance and tumble onto the frozen ground.

"Hello there Kagome. We'll be going into the Forest now. Just a standard walkabout. Now that Dumbledore says that You Know Who has returned, we need to check up on security every now and again." Hagrid said.

Kagome gulped, and wondered if Hagrid knew how not reassuring he was.

"Stick close to me and my crossbow. Fang's a bloody coward, so I wouldn't go to far with him."

As if to prove Hagrid's point, Fang whined and backed away from the darkening forest. Hagrid handed her a lantern, and together they entered the forest.

"Do you do this often?" Kagome said.

"What, go into the forest?" Hargrid said.

"No, take detention duty."

"Oh no, not that often. Just when Dumbledore requests it. You're my first this year."

"Really?" leave it to her grandfather to let her off easy.

"Yeah."

They walked on in silence, the only sound being the whistling of the wind and the slobber of Fang as he drooled over everything.

Then, suddenly, there was a loud cracking noise from nearby. Hagrid swung his crossbow around, and was met with a low level demon.

Kagome made a strangled gasping noise, and Hagrid just leveled his bow. With a steady hand, Hagrid shot it through the forehead, but it stumbled forward still, determined to reach the all powerful object in its vicinity. Hagrid cursed, shoving Kagome back towards Fang, who was whimpering near a tree.

"They don't normally come so close to the castle." He said.

Kagome shut her eyes, knowing why it was there.

"_the jewel. Give me the jewel!_" It hissed.

"Jewel?" Hagrid said.  
Kagome leapt forward and grasped Hagrid's bow, fumbling with an arrow.

"Kagome, what are you doing?" Hagrid yelled.

"How do you load this thing?" Kagome said, frustrated, swinging it back and forth as she tried to reload the crossbow.

"That's a dangerous weapon! Kagome I can't protect you from this demon if you don't give it back!" Hagrid yelled.

Kagome fumbled again, dropping the arrow entirely.

Panic was beginning to set in, but as the demon swiped its claws at her again, Kagome knew that she was the only one who could take care of it. The arrow sticking out of its forehead wasn't killing it, so only her power would.

"Why won't you die?" she yelled, dodging another attack.

"_so close, I can feel it. It keeps me here." _The demon hissed.

Kagome stood still for a moment, understanding flooding her. The proximity of half of the jewel was enough to keep the demon alive.

The pause was enough for the demon to attack. Without thinking, Kagome raised an arm, and for the second time in her life, her powers roared to life and purified the demon.

-------

"She's back. I can feel her." There was a brief pause, then laughter echoed around the chamber that hid the source of evil from the world.

-------

"Kagome?" Hagrid said uncertainly. "C'mon. I'm taking you to Dumbledore right away."

"Yes, Hagrid." Kagome said with a sigh.

--------

"Welcome back, Kagome." Ron said cheerfully, rolling up a bit of parchment.

"Yeah." Kagome said, yawning. "Are you the only one up?"

"Had to finish potions. You look like hell. What did Hagrid have you doing?" Ron said, surveying Kagome's torn cloak and shadowed visage.

"Oh, nothing much. It's just dark in the Forest, you know?"

"Well, Hermione said for me to tell you to go straight to bed when you come back, because we have Animagus class first thing tomorrow." Ron said.

"Thanks Ron. But I don't need you mothering me."

"Hey, it wasn't me, it was Hermione!" Ron said defensively as he backed up the boys staircase.

"Sure Ron, whatever you say."

---------

"Welcome back. I hope you all read some of the book that I gave to you." Professor McGonagall said to her students, surveying the class with a slight smile. "Today¸ I am going to demonstrate the process of changing from your human form to an animal. Keep in mind that we will not be attempting this transformation until after Christmas, as I want to give you plenty of time to decide on your Animagus. Many of you will find, however, that your Animagus may correlate to the Patronus you cast, if you can cast one."

Harry glanced at Hermione, and they shared a look as the remembered the series of events in their third year. Being a stag would be cool, but Harry felt as if that was somehow copying from his dad. After all, his dad wasn't called Prongs for nothing.

"Anyways. Watch closely as I transform, and try to find similar markings that I possess in both forms, markings that are used by the Ministry to recognize my form as an Animagus."

She transformed quickly, and Kagome watched as the spectacles perched on the brim of her nose became dark markings around the feline's eyes.

Then, the professor transformed back.

"Your glasses, professor." Kagome said, with her hand raised.

"Very good Kagome. My glasses are the markings that identify me as an Animagus. While you are trying to decide on your form, please also think of the physical trait that you wish to keep. For many of you it will be a birth mark, or a scar. For a few, it will be physical objects, such as my glasses."

"You've got to keep your scar, Harry. It would look wicked in animal form." Ron said, grinning.

"What are you going to keep, your red hair?" Harry joked.

"Nah, I was thinking about the scar I've got on my arm from the time Fred and George pushed my off the broom into a rose bush."

"What about you, Kagome?" Hermione asked. "I was thinking about my teeth, since everyone always notices them."

"I have a few scars that I could select from, but I was really considering a scar I have on my hip." Kagome said.

But before they could pursue the topic any further, Professor McGonagall called the class to attention again and began to lecture.

"Up until Christmas, we shall study the anatomy of a few basic animals. A winged animal, a land mammal, a sea creature, a reptile and a magical creature. That way each of us has a basic understanding of the inside of the creature they are going to transform into. It is very important to know your transformation inside and out. Understand?"

-------

_Well. That was that. I had to include Animagus class since it seems like a hit. I hope the detention turned out okay, because I wasn't in the mood to drag it out. Read and Review!_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

"Sorry I wasn't here last night, sir." Kagome said, taking a seat in Snape's office.

"I heard. You had a detention." Snape sneered.

"Yes sir."

"Kind of early in the year to be getting a detention, isn't it? I hope that you aren't a troublemaker."

"I'm not normally this much trouble, sir." Kagome said with a sigh. "It's just… we weren't learning anything."

"It's not any of my concern. Let us begin. This time, I want you to meditate."

"Um. Sir." Kagome said, nervously edging around the topic.

"Yes?"

"I tend to fall asleep when I meditate."

"That is fine. The point of the meditation is to simulate sleep, so that I can attack your unprotected mind. By the end of the year you should be able to prevent my attacks even whilst asleep. Proceed." Snape instructed.

Kagome closed her eyes, and began to breath smoothly as her grandfather had taught her, back when she was little and actually believed that if she concentrated, the meditation would reveal some great secret.

Sure enough, she felt herself begin to drop into sleep.

As she snoozed, Snape launched a slight penetration of her mind. He moved slowly so that he would not interrupt the process of her body shutting down and going to sleep. For a few minutes, he sifted through the memories in the foreground of her mind, watching her talk with Harry and Ron, reading a thick old book, and the experience of the night before. He could feel her fear and determination as the pink light destroyed the creature that he knew as a demon, one of the many that lurked in the Forbidden Forest. He occasionally had to slay one to get ingredients for some of his more complicated potions, so he knew how tough they were to kill. He was even more impressed with Dumbledore's granddaughter, but at the same time he found himself wondering about her strange pink magic and ability to destroy demons with a touch. He delved deeper into her conscious, to older memories. But as soon as he touched upon the memories of an old well, he felt her spirit awaken and he was shoved forcefully from her mind.

Kagome sat in front of him, panting, and trying to control the urge to scream or flee.

"Very good. Most people do not sense my presence until I am further in. Keep in mind that not all opponents will be forced out that quickly – I was not expecting a counter attack then so it was easy for you to guide me away."

"Yes sir. I will try harder next time to catch you earlier."

"Tonight there will not be a next time. I just wanted you to know what it felt like to have your mind penetrated as you sleep, but for now we will leave that subject untouched. First we must work on your mental barriers for when you are awake and able to defend yourself."

"Yes sir."

"Now, this book, _A Journey Through the Mind_, will explain some of the more confusing details of Occlumency. I want you to have read it by the end of the month. We won't meet tomorrow, as I have to hold detention for some unfortunate Slytherin's who mouthed off in Umbridge's class. We will meet the next night, however." Snape instructed.

"Thank you, Professor."

"I would like to ask you about your strange pink powers." Snape said quietly.

"I know. I suppose I should explain, since you will see it all in my mind anyways." Kagome said, resigning herself to her fate. "Please, do not tell anyone what I am about to tell you."

For the next hour or so, Kagome explained her powers and the story of her life as of her 15th birthday. Exhausted, she made her way back to the Gryffindor Common Room and fell asleep without even looking at the pile of homework next to her head.

--------

"Kagome. Kagoooome." Hermione said, poking the sleeping Japanese girl.

"Huh?" Kagome said, shifting sleepily.

"Get up sleepy head. It's time for Charms class." Hermione said.

Kagome leapt out of bed, throwing her robes on.

"I'm late!"

"Relax, you have some time to go down to breakfast and get something to eat." Hermione reassured her. "It's not really quite time for Charms class."

"Hermione, you are so mean." Kagome pouted as they walked down the staircase to the Common Room.

"About time. Honestly, you girls take forever to get ready." Ron complained.

Kagome yawned.

"Have a rough night, Kagome?" Harry asked.

"Just Occlumency lessons. They really tire me out. But I get a break tonight so I should probably crack down on that homework…"

"What homework? It's the first week of school, we only have to read or take notes." Ron snorted.

"I like to read ahead, but right now I'm way behind in my reading due to the busy schedule I've had the last couple of days. So tonight I think I'm going to take it easy and just read some of my textbooks."

"All right. That sounds good. I might actually join you." Hermione said.

"That would be great! Do you think you could show me to the library? I haven't been yet, but I've heard its amazing." Kagome said.

"Sure! It is pretty good. It's the fourth largest magic library in the world. Dumbledore has done a lot to expand the collection to include magic works from all over the world. I find the African magics the most interesting. It's quite surprising what you can learn when you think about how magic has a history just as complex as the muggles do."

"Do they have any Japanese books?"

"Yes, I do think they do. I've never tried to read any of them because they are written in Japanese, but I think that Cho mentioned there are some. She's Chinese, but quite knowledgeable on the Asian cultures."

Harry rolled his eyes, and gestured to Ron. The two of them made there way away from the girls, who were deep in conversation about Russian magic at this point.

"Let's get some breakfast before Charms." Harry suggested, pointing out that the girls were most likely not going to stop talking any time soon.  
"Thanks mate. They're both like bloody encyclopedias. I mean they're great and all but you have to draw a line somewhere. Especially when the lectures start encroaching on my eating time."

"Hermione's found a kindred spirit. I think she's glad to have a female companion."

"What's wrong with us?" Ron sounded affronted.

"Nothing, nothing. But we are guys, and you know, we don't exactly share her academic purpose." Harry said lightly.

"Point taken. Do you think they'll have sausage today?" Ron said.

"I'm sure they'll have sausage Ron."

---------

Later that evening Kagome sat alone in the library. Hermione had left nearly an hour before, having promised to help Ron with some problem he was having in Potions. Kagome had discovered the Japanese section, but was currently reading the book that Professor Snape had given to her on the mind. She was kind of bored, but she had another lesson the next day so she wanted to understand as much as possible.

"Kagome?"

"Harry!"

"What are you doing here so late?" Harry asked.

"Reading. Professor Snape gave my a book on the mind to help me with my Occlumency lessons."

"That sounds interesting." Harry said, running a hand threw his hair.

"Why are you here so late?" Kagome asked back.

"Don't get too much sleep these days. I get severe nightmares." Harry said sheepishly. "Figured I would check out a book to help me in Potions…"

"Here, take this one. Hermione recommended it."

"Do you want to come back to the Common Room with me?" harry suggested. "If you get caught out this late it can be kind of bad."

"What do you mean? How will going with you make a difference?" Kagome asked.

Harry held up a shimmery cloak.

"What is that?" Kagome whispered.

"It's an invisibility cloak. No one can see us when we put it on."

Kagome nodded, understanding. She gathered up her books, and shyly joined Harry under the cloak.

Slowly, they walked out of the library. Harry had grown some since his adventures with Ron and Hermione under the cloak when they were little, and now it barely covered him and Kagome. They were walking close together, sides touching, trying to ignore the brush of skin with each step they took.

They walked silently, avoiding Peeves and Filch with ease. Kagome had a dusting of a blush on her nose, but neither of them mentioned the awkwardness of the silence under the cloak.

Throwing the cloak off in the Common Room, Kagome bid Harry good night, avoiding eye contact.

Harry smiled slightly, and made his way up to his dorm.

_Sorry it took so long… It's not even a terribly long chapter but I haven't been home a lot recently. Please read and review!!_


	9. Chapter 9

The end of the first month of school drew to a close with a blustering cold day. Harry stared out of the castle windows, wistfully remembering a time when the end of the month would bring a Hogsmeade visit. Now, Hogsmeade was just a fond memory, hidden behind the mountains that surrounded the far end of the lake.

"Harry! I've been looking for you – we're going to be late for breakfast mate!" Ron interrupted Harry's serene moment with a look of panic. "What if they've run out of sausages?"

"Ron. They will have plenty of sausages for you. Relax." Hermione said, joining the group as well. "Have either of you seen Kagome today?"

"No, I haven't. Did she come back from her Occlumency lesson last night?" Harry asked.

"Always so quick to suspect Snape." Hermione sighed. "Yes, she came back. She seemed very tired. I thought she would be sleeping late this morning, but there was no sign of her when I woke up."

"Maybe she went down to get an early start? We have Charms first, and I know that's been giving her some trouble. Maybe she needed extra help before class started?" Harry suggested.

Kagome had in fact been having quite a difficult time with Charms. Harry barely remembered a time when he didn't know how to hold a wand properly, let alone cast simple enchantments, but Kagome reminded him of the first few months he had had at Hogwarts.

In fact, she probably would have been struggling with Defense Against the Darks Arts as well, if it wasn't for the fact that Umbridge strictly forbids the use of magic in her class.

"She's clearly not here, so let's go down to the Great Hall and see if anyone has seen her." Ron said impatiently.

Hermione cast one last worried look back at the Common Room as they exited.

* * *

The birds grew steadily louder as sunlight approached over the mountain tops, and Kagome had not slept at all. She had found that Occlumency lessons left her more and more exhausted – and more and more unable to sleep. The lessons were only three times a week, but they were a constant drain on her energy.

She'd tried to sleep last night. She'd laid there, in bed, staring up at the canopies. But she just remembered the awful feeling, the feeling of someone prodding and poking where they shouldn't. She relived each of her happiest and worst memories. It was like being shoved in a box of the past, and it was taking her farther and farther away from the great new place she had found at Hogwarts.

When she had found herself unable to sleep, she had made her way to the forest. The previous week she had found that if she got out and physically exhausted herself, sleep would naturally follow.

Today, no such luck.

"Damn."

She was late! Over the last few weeks she had bravely meandered further and further into the Forbidden Forest, but now she was too far from the castle to make it back in time to ask Professor Flitwick some key questions about that spell they had been working on last class.

Kagome broke into a light jog, completely missing the shifting in the shadows of a watching demon.

"Kagome is never late." Hermione hissed as the trio opened their textbooks in Charms class.

"Where do you think she could be?" Harry responded. "You guys have spent a lot of time together in the library, trying to help her with Charms. I haven't seen her in a week!"

"I saw her last night, actually." Neville said.

"Neville? You saw Kagome last night?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. I figured she was just going out for another one of those freaky lessons with Snape, but now that I think about it, it was rather late when she was leaving. I was trimming one of my midnight blooming herbs by the window – I don't think she even noticed I was there."

"Did she have books with her? Maybe she went to the library and just fell asleep in one of the back sections" Harry suggested.

"Yeah, maybe, but it looked like she was wearing her cloak, like she was going out of the castle." Neville said, shrugging. "I don't know anything else."

"You don't think... She went into the forest?" Ron asked.

"She seems fascinated with it. The last few weeks, while we were studying, she kept finding reasons to look out the window at it. I think in Japan she had a lot more freedom to be outside." Hermione said.

"It's dangerous out there. We all have been there. She can't even use magic properly yet." Harry said.

"Mr. Potter, and friends. I do suppose you would like to pay attention some time today?" Professor Flitwick said, suddenly appearing at Harry's elbow.

"Sorry sir. We were just wondering where Kagome was. It's not like her to be absent." Hermione said.

"Not to worry Miss Granger. I received word just before class began that Miss Higurashi will not be joining us for classes today. Madame Pomfrey has her in the Hospital Ward."

"What?" Harry said .

"Some minor scrapes and bruises, that's all. She'll be fine. You may visit her after classes have ended for the day." Flitwick said, waving his hand. "A pity. She needed some work on her Levitating Charm, and Seamus was going to help her avoid his classic mistake of blowing up eyebrows. Class, attention please! Today we will continue our work on the Forget-Me-Not Charm – the art of feeding your opponent fake or modified memories!"

* * *

"Kagome, I must ask you to be more careful in the future." Dumbledore said, staring down at his granddaughter

"Sorry, Headmaster. I was caught off guard. They aren't usually so close to the castle." Kagome said, rubbing her head sheepishly.

Somewhere in the last mile of forest she had been attacked from behind by a high level demon. She hadn't sensed it's presence until the fangs sunk into her arm. Luckily her exhausted body was still tensed from the constant intrusions of the Snape's Occlumency lessons – it had reacted violently and lashed out, disintegrating the demon.

The pink light must have been visible from the castle, because her grandfather had been there in an instant.

"Have you been getting enough sleep Kagome? You look tired, and that demon should not have snuck up on you so easily." Dumbledore asked.

"It's been hectic recently. I haven't been able to sleep too well after Occlumency lessons, and I'm so far behind in Charms and a bit in Transfiguration as well." Kagome admitted. "But it's getting better!"

"If it were not so important for you to learn to protect your mind, I would insist that you stop immediately. Unfortunately, this year, each of us are being asked to make sacrifices in order to be prepared for the next few years. I fear that they will be filled with sleepless nights, and Voldemort's schemes, if the Ministry continues to insist that I am covering up for Potter's delusions."

"Is Voldemort that bad, Papa?" Kagome asked.

"He is responsible for the travesty that struck the Wizarding World years ago. He is also responsible for the death of your father, Kagome. This is why it is so important for you to remain anonymous. If Voldemort knew that he had not destroyed the remains of my family, you would be targeted as much as Mr. Potter."

"I've seen evil in the past, Papa. I can take care of myself."

"Clearly." Dumbledore said, glancing over the hospital bed Kagome had been confined to until Madame Pomfrey had deemed her "rested" enough to continue with classes.

Kagome had the decency to blush.

* * *

When classes ended for the day, Harry immediately made his way to the Hospital Wing. Hermione had been held back to discuss the finer details of her wonderful paper from a History of Magic, and Ron, ever faithful Ron, had volunteered to make sure she didn't "die of boredom".

However, when he entered the wing, he soon realised that Kagome was no where to be seen.

"Madame Pomfrey?" Harry called.

"Yes dear? Is something the matter?" Madame Pomfrey asked, bustling over.

"I was looking for Kagome Higurashi? Was she here today?" Harry asked.

"Yes, she was. I released her a few minutes ago, you must have just missed her." Pomfrey said with a smile. "Off you go. You should be able to catch her. She's on her way back to the Common Room."

"Thank you."

"Not a problem, dear."

Harry quickly walked away from the wing, trying again to find Kagome. He hadn't seen her since he had stumbled across her in the library the week before, and was starting to wonder if she was avoiding him.

Up ahead he caught a glimpse of her dark hair as she turned the corner. The wrong corner.

_Where is she going?_ He wondered as he followed her.

The route she was on now led back into the recesses of the castle, passages that lead to the old corridors. No one went back here anymore, and if he remember correctly (from A History of Hogwarts) these neglected rooms were from when Hogwarts had been an actual, functional castle, dating back to an age when Muggles and Wizards lived togther.

Clearly Kagome had discovered something other students hadn't, because when he turned another corner he found himself facing a door. It was slightly ajar, and beyond, he could hear the wind. The door led to the outside – a door besides that front doors!

Even the Marauder's Map didn't detail all of the passages back here – they were enchanted, and often changed on whim. But Kagome had clearly known where she was going, and had done this before.

"Kagome!" He called after pushing the door open.

"Harry?" Kagome said, turning around abruptly before entering the forest a few paces away. "Did you follow me here?"

"I'm sorry. I just missed you at the hospital wing. I just caught up. How did you find this entrance? Shouldn't it be sealed for security?" Harry said, staring around.

"We haven't left the castle, Harry. Not really. This entire section of the forest is entirely surrounded by the walls of Hogwart's itself. I think that it was built around this grove itself."

"How come more student's don't find it? You'd think someone would have heard of a place like this." Harry said.

"Hogwarts is full of secrets, just waiting for the right person, I think you'll find. I found this place at the end of the first week." Kagome said.

"Is this where you keep sneaking off to? I haven't seen you in a while..." Harry asked.

"Kind of. I've also been really busy the last week. I'm having a terrible time in Charms. I can't get my magic to work with me. I don't really understand how you all can be so good at it."

"We all used to have problems. Let's go sit down, and I'll try and help you." Harry said, leading her to a large stone. "Magic is an extension of you, but the hardest part really is not the magic – it's connecting the words with it all. As beginners we all used to have such difficulties because we never really thought about the words themselves having magic to them – we all assumed it had to all come from us. But the truth is, without the right words, you don't have enough magic as a beginner to perform the spells. I like to think of the words as a power booster – you need them in order to get your magic to cooperate."

"I never really thought about it that way. I always assumed that I just had to concentrate on myself a whole lot in order to get the magic to work properly."

"Some people spend their whole lives studying the ways of magic and we still don't know everything, Hermione likes to tell me. Miracles do happen, especially in our world."

"It's incredible, isn't it?" Kagome whispered.

"What?"

"Magic. I know you're like me. You grew up assuming magic was a fairy tale. But to find out it's all real, and you can be a part of it..."

"It feels like you can do anything."

"We can." Kagome said confidently.

"But so can he..."

"Harry... Why does everyone associate you with Voldemort?" Kagome asked.

"Do you really not know?" Harry said, turning to look in her eyes.

"I mean, I know that he tried to kill you. But he tried to kill a lot of people. Why are you so important to him?"

"When he tried to kill me, he failed. And that is what has made me so.. "special." His own curse rebounded, and caused him to go into hiding. Lots of people like to believe that I, as a baby, single-handedly defeated the darkest wizard the world has ever known."

"That's scary. So much responsibility." Kagome said. "But you are special, somehow. We all are. We're wizards, Harry!"

* * *

_This is pretty rough, but after such a long time not writing this, my thoughts have changed a bit. I didn't really have inspiration to write a specific scene, but I read all of the reviews of my work, and I knew I had to put something up so that I could get that inspiration. Hopefully the next update will come in a week, not a few years... _

_For those of you who came back to read this, this is for you. _


End file.
